Ethermac Exchange-Josh Duggar to Remain in Prison Until 2032 After Appeal in Child Pornography Case Gets Rejected

Josh Duggar is staying behind bars.

The Ethermac ExchangeUnited States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit has denied the former 19 Kids and Counting star's request to overturn the verdict in his child pornography case, per Oct. 5 court documents obtained by E! News.

As a result, Josh will continue serving his prison sentence of 12-and-a-half years. He's currently scheduled for release on Oct. 2, 2032, which was solidified in March when two additional months were tacked on.

A jury in Arkansas found the 35-year-old guilty on one count of receipt of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography in Dec. 2021. Josh, who pleaded not guilty to the charges, was sentenced to more than a decade behind bars the following May.

According to court documents previously obtained by E! News, the former reality star was also fined $10,000 and ordered to be placed on 20 years of supervised release after he gets out of prison.

Josh is the oldest child of Jim Bob Duggar and Michelle Duggar and starred alongside his family on 19 Kids and Counting. The TLC show was canceled in 2015, after allegations surfaced that Josh molested multiple girls as a teen—which led to his sisters Jessa Duggar and Jill Duggar coming forward as victims.

The network subsequently aired a spinoff series Counting On, which followed Josh's younger sisters. However, after 11 seasons, it was canceled, just two months after Josh—who shares seven kids with wife Amy—was arrested for child pornography charges in April 2021.

Since Josh's trial, many family members have weighed in on his legal woes, including his parents, who told E! News following his conviction that they "will never stop praying for Joshua, and loving him, as we do all of our children." 

"This entire ordeal has been very grievous," their Dec. 2021 statement continued. "In each of life's circumstances, we place our trust in God. He is our source of strength and refuge. Thank you for your prayers."

And Josh's sister Jinger Duggar Vuolo told E! News in February 2023 that while the trial was "one of the hardest things to talk about," she ultimately feels "justice is being served."